Champion trainer Jason Thompson has one massive regret with newly-crowned track record holder Typhoon Sammy ahead of Saturday night’s Chasers Function Centre Bendigo Cup final (425m).
The four-time Bendigo Cup winner says he’s “filthy” he didn’t start training TAB’s $2 Cup favourite sooner!
“To be honest, Johnny Dart, who was training the dog and also owns him, had been asking me to take him for a few months and I probably should have had the dog six months ago,” Thompson said.
“I knew he was a very good dog but there were no country cups coming up and he was going so well up in Brisbane I thought it was best if he stayed up there through winter and then came down to Victoria.
“The Bendigo Cup was the first half-circle country cup for him and he got down here in plenty of time for it, but I’m filthy I didn’t take him earlier!
“As I said, I knew he was good but he has surprised me. I won’t lie. For him to go to the level he has as quickly as he has is just amazing.”
Typhoon Sammy, a January 2019 son of Thompson’s 2017 Melbourne Cup winner and Bendigo Cup placegetter Aston Dee Bee, improved his perfect record since arriving (perhaps belatedly) in Victoria to five from five with a breathtaking heat victory.
Drawn in Box 1, Typhoon Sammy left two-time G1 winner Tiggerlong Tonk in his wake, scoring by 3.5 lengths in 23.28, burning a length off former superstar Shima Shine’s track record, set in last year’s Cup heats.
Typhoon Sammy, which has drawn Box 7 for Saturday night’s final, is now poised to follow El Galo (2008), Peggy May (2012), Ronan Izmir (2013) and Aston Bolero (2016) and give Thompson a fifth Bendigo Cup celebration.
“He’s not dissimilar to any of my Bendigo Cup winners but he really reminds me of Black Magic Opal,” Thompson offered.
Black Magic Opal won the 2013 Melbourne Cup, as well as the G2 Geelong, Maitland and Warrnambool Cups and still holds Geelong’s 460m record.
“He’s the closest thing we’ve ever had to Black Magic Opal,” he said.
“I don’t say that lightly but what this dog can run in 12-15 seconds is off the planet.
“I would have picked Box 8 for the final so I’m happy with Box 7.
“I’ve watched the tapes of the dogs drawn around him and in the heats Lots Of Chatter (Box 8) went from Box 4 to Box 6 or 7, so he’s going to run straight, and Aston Profit (Box 6) isn’t going to come out on him either.
“All he needs is 20m of clear running and the dog just explodes. Unless he does something wrong he should get the room he needs and then it’s up to him.
WATCH: Typhoon Sammy (1) left superstar Tiggerlong Tonk (8) in his wake when winning his G2 Bendigo Cup heat in track record time last Saturday night.
“I’m filthy I didn’t take him earlier. I knew he was good but he has surprised me. I won’t lie. For him to go to the level he has as quickly as he has is just amazing.”
“It’s a very good final and the dog that wins it will be the dog that doesn’t do anything wrong.”
After Bendigo, Thompson’s focus will shift to next Wednesday’s G3 Great Chase final (525m) at The Meadows, where True Collinda, the winner of six from 13 and runner-up in her semi-final on Wednesday, has drawn Box 5.
“I really like her,” said Thompson.
“There’s nothing wrong with making a Great Chase final but she’s very progressive and going forward I really think she’ll be featuring in some bigger races.
“I was absolutely rapt with her semi-final run. She didn’t ping the lids like we know she can and she didn’t know how to get around the leader but with the experience and benefit she’ll take out of that run she’s a live chance in a very open final.”
Along with the world-wide greyhound racing community, Thompson was saddened to hear of the tragic passing of legendary breeder Paul Wheeler, his adversary in so many memorable feature clashes over the past two decades.
“It was obviously a huge shock to hear about Paul’s passing,” Thompson said.
“What do you say about him? What he was able to achieve in greyhound racing, the impact he made, and the legacy he leaves behind will never be replicated.
“As successful as Paul was, one of the great things about him was just how accommodating he was to everyone he came across in the sport.
“He was second to none and he’s the one person I could name that as long as greyhound racing is around he will never be forgotten.”
HOW TO FOLLOW THE ACTION
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Watch every race LIVE and FREE via watchdog.grv.org.au or on Sky Racing. - Trent Langskaill to provide regular crosses to RSN Racing and Sport (927 AM).
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